Furthered my Swarm Experience Today

Ben Framed · July 17, 2019, 07:54:13 PM

Today we came out with sunshine here in North Mississippi after Barry finally left us with two days of rain. I Checked my Home hives this morning peaking in all was well. However this afternoon about 2 o?clock I noticed much activity near my home apiary. Sure enough hanging on a crape myrtle limb, a small swarm was beginning. Having been well prepared for this season with extra equipment on hand. I grabbed a complete five frame nuc box, step ladder, and all needed accessories including a sheet, and copy paper box. I shook this swarm, Spotted and caught the queen, placed her in the NUC on Top of the step ladder and in a short while all bees were inside. But wait there is more to the story. After reading here where others had caught swarms and had them leave a little later, I decided to leave the queen in the clip queen cage. Good thing I did, just a while ago, I saw what seem to be another swarm on the crape Myrtle Bush next to this box. Upon inspection I realized it was the same bees. I left them alone and it wasn't?t long before all the bees returned to their queen. Good thing I was warned about this sort of thing here on beemaster or I might have already lost this swarm.
Phillip

herbhome · July 17, 2019, 09:24:40 PM

Good catch Ben,

I've got to remember that trick!

BeeMaster2 · July 17, 2019, 11:05:17 PM

Congratulations Phillip.
Good job.
Jim Altmiller

Ben Framed · July 17, 2019, 11:36:55 PM

Thanks friends, I just walked in from adding a feeder and an entrance excluder. I will move these to my parents home tomorrow as I already have a good hand full of hives there also. A robber screen will also bee added also. The plan is to spray the bees with enough sugar syrup along with ''Miss America'' so she won't fly off when released and thus giving her the run of the box to roam as she pleases. And hopefully start laying ASAP in the two empty frames that I have provided for her.
Phillip

BeeMaster2 · July 18, 2019, 12:28:24 AM

Phillip,
Keep in mind that there is a fair chance that this is a secondary swarm and this queen is not mated.
I say this to let you know to not keep her caged more than 3 days.
If you know for sure which hive she came from, you can check it and see if there are still eggs in it. If you find them and there are queen cells then she is mated and it is not a problem keeping her caged.
Jim Altmiller

Ben Framed · July 18, 2019, 01:15:58 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on July 18, 2019, 12:28:24 AM
Phillip,
Keep in mind that there is a fair chance that this is a secondary swarm and this queen is not mated.
I say this to let you know to not keep her caged more than 3 days.
If you know for sure which hive she came from, you can check it and see if there are still eggs in it. If you find them and there are queen cells then she is mated and it is not a problem keeping her caged.
Jim Altmiller

Thanks Jim, and good points. I did think of this and as a result, I went back and through my hives here at home, after catching the swarm and I was thinking on the same lines as you. I did not find a queen cell in any of them. Even still, if these bees came form a neighboring hive or even a feral hive it could still have the same meaning and results as you posted. So, I will gladly take your advise and turn her loose by removing the excluder Saturday, eggs or no eggs.
Pnillip

CoolBees · July 18, 2019, 05:44:05 AM

Hey, hey, hey - congratulations Phillip!

Nock · July 18, 2019, 09:58:18 AM

Awesome.

Ben Framed · July 18, 2019, 10:16:08 AM

Thanks fellows, we will find where molly hid the peaches when I turn them loose Saturday.

Phillip

jtcmedic · July 18, 2019, 11:07:51 AM

Good job.

Ben Framed · July 18, 2019, 10:48:57 PM

Quote from: jtcmedic on July 18, 2019, 11:07:51 AM
Good job.

Thanks JTC

Ben Framed · July 20, 2019, 02:40:09 AM

@ Coolbees
Alan I remembered what y'all said about cutting off the limb where the swarm was found. I did not cut it this time. Thanks for sharing this with us a while back.
Philliip

Ben Framed · July 23, 2019, 09:34:28 PM

UPDATE:
A bit of bad news today about the swarm. Late yesterday they were doing well. At least on the outside. I did not look in the box but they were on the porch coming and going without a noticeable care in the world.
Today not a bee to bee seen, however carpenter ants were. I opened the box and every bee was gone, all brood, honey, pollen larva and eggs were gone. Nothing but empty come and carpenter ants!! I am on the forum here looking for a solution now. I have found about two solutions so far that look promising. One is from JP, One is from Joelel, We will see. I am amazed at how fast these critters can devastate a hive. I suppose they are in a tree somewhere, (the bees) and not to be found anytime soon. I tried but never considered carpenter ants.
Phillip

CoolBees · July 23, 2019, 10:09:08 PM

Phillip, I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of that hive. :( Ants can be so devastating to a hive.

The Bright(ish) side is that losses happen in Beekeeping and in Nature - its part of the bargain. I just discovered today that my H6 is gone (H1's old queen Mrs Tatters, now re-Queened naturally as of June). Robbed out in 24 hrs. Frustrating to be sure - but it happens.

I'll update my Anti-Ant progress when I have the data assembled. Until then - my condolences buddy!

Ben Framed · July 23, 2019, 10:30:15 PM

Thanks Alan, looks as if we both had a disappointing bee day. But we shall overcome my friend!! We are learning more as we go.
😊😁

jtcmedic · July 24, 2019, 02:23:32 PM

It must be going around as on of my splits did the same. Poof gone

van from Arkansas · July 24, 2019, 07:58:21 PM

Quote from: Ben Framed on July 23, 2019, 09:34:28 PM
UPDATE:
A bit of bad news today about the swarm. Late yesterday they were doing well. At least on the outside. I did not look in the box but they were on the porch coming and going without a noticeable care in the world.
Today not a bee to bee seen, however carpenter ants were. I opened the box and every bee was gone, all brood, honey, pollen larva and eggs were gone. Nothing but empty come and carpenter ants!! I am on the forum here looking for a solution now. I have found about two solutions so far that look promising. One is from JP, One is from Joelel, We will see. I am amazed at how fast these critters can devastate a hive. I suppose they are in a tree somewhere, (the bees) and not to be found anytime soon. I tried but never considered carpenter ants.
Phillip

Bummer was the saying when I was a kid. Means so sorry. However look at the success of your other hives. Do you think the carpenter ants caused the abscond or the ants are opportunistic?

We have carpenter ants here in North Arkansas that occasionally try an attack on a hive. I follow the ant trail sometime hundreds of feet away from the hive and spray the colony. So far I have been lucky and not lost a hive to ants. However, Varroa and hive beetles,,,, well that is another subject, constant battle and many hives lost.
Blessings
Van

Ben Framed · July 24, 2019, 10:48:08 PM

Yes a real bummer Mr Van. Jim posted a control that I found locally. JP also posted a control several years ago that also looked promising. This was found in the search heading here. I had looked for the brand that JP recommended on line at my local Lowes and Home Depot stores and nada. I was happy that Jim posted his brand, Its waiting on me at the store!! Though it is to late for this hive, I also have other hives not very far away. As you stated, the carpenter ants will travel hundreds of feet to reach a hive. The ant war is on! THEY drew first blood HA HAA. We have talked about it before, it must have been fabulous during the golden days of beekeeping without the pest of SHB and Varroa. Tell us about the good ole days !! I can only imagine.

Phillip